Apparatus for distributing hydrocarbon under pressure to hydrocarbon-lamps.



No. 698,364. Patented Apr. 22, I902.

J. G..BRANCH.

APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING HY-DROCARBON UNDER PRESSURE T0 HYDROGARBUN LAMPS.

(Application filed Apr. 27, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Shasta-Sheet THE moms Farms w; PHDTO-LITHO" wumuswu, u. c,

No. 698,364. PatentedvApr. 22; I902.

J. G. BRANCH.

APPARATUS FOR DISTRLBUTING HYDRDCARBON UNDER PRESSURE T0 HYDRUGARBUN LAMPS.

(Application filed A 27, 1900.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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THE yoRms PETERS co, PHOTO-LUBE WASHINGTON, n, c.

UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFicE.

JOSEPH G. BRANCH, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING HYDROCARBON UNDER PRESSURE TO HYDROCARBON-LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 698,364, dated April 22, 1902.

Application filed April 27,1900. $erial No. 14,613. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPHGaBRANOH, a citizen of the United States, residing'at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Distributing Hydrocarbon Under Pros sure to Hydrocarbon-Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for distributing.hydrocarbon under pressure to hydrocarbon street-lamps; and it has for its object to provide novel 'means whereby the hydrocarbon will be supplied in a constant, continnous,and uniform manner from a single source of supply contained in one of the lamp structures to the burners of a number of street-lamps remote from one another. I

To this end my invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claim following the description, reference being had to the acpart of this companying drawings, forming a specification, wherein I Figure 1 is a perspective View illustrating a group of three street-lamps forming a part similar View taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings,'

the numerals 1,2, and 3 respectively indicate street-lampswhich arearranged in and form part of a single street-lighting system,

the numeral 1. indicating the lamp-from which all the other lamps in thesystem are supplied with hydrocarbon.

Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral indicates a lamp-post provided at its upper end with a laterally-projecting bracket-arm 5. Fixed on thelower part of the post is a casing 6, containingawinding mechanism, drum, or Windlass of any preferred construction, about which'is wound a wire or cable 7, which also passes aboutguide puIleys 8 on the bracket- 5 arm and has suspended from its end a vaporlamp 9 of any well-known or preferred construction". The lower part of the lamp-post 4 is made'in the form of a cupboard or casing 10, which is divided into an upper and lower compartment by a shelf 11, and in said compartments are respectively arranged a gasolene-tank-:12 and a pressure-tank l3, constructedand arranged in a manner hereinafter explained. From the gasolene-tank 12 leads a service-pipe 14, which extends from post to post throughout the entire system and connectsjin series all the lamps included in said system. All the lamps in communication withthe service-pipe 14 are supplied with gasolene from the single tank 12, and each lamp may be individually raisedandlowered by its cable 7 to receive propercare and attention. In this manner all thelamps are supplied with illuminating fiuidfroma single or central station/which consists of onesof the lamp structures itself, so that but littletime and labor, and consequently slight expense, are involved in maintaining all the lamps in operative condition; The gasolene is fed to all the lamps from the'gasoIene-tank 12 by pressure supplied from theLpressure-tank 13, which is in communication with the upper part of the gasolene tank. Thepressure may be generated orst'ored in the pressure-tank from any preferred sou'1'ceas, for example, by charging thepressure-tank with carbonic-acid gas or compressed air-and said pressure-tank is made detachable from the gasolene-tank and removable from-the cupboard 10, so that an exhausted pressure-tankl may be readily re- ,moved and a fully-charged one substituted.

structedandarranged in the'manner and provided with the attachments and connections )which will nowbe explained. v

Referring to Figs. 3to 6 of thevdrawings, the numeral 12 indicates a cylindrical tank 3 for holding the gasolene which is intended to EOI'IthB purpose of this inventiontlie'gaso- 1 supply the lamps, 14 the service-pipe leading from the gasolene-tank to the lamps, and'13 the pressure-cylinder intended to contain carbonic-acid gas, (or compressed air,) which is employed for forcing the gasolene from the tank 12 to the lamps.

Fitted in the top of the tank 12 is a threeway plug, constructed as follows: The numeral 15 indicates the plug-casing, comprising a hollow shell having a vertical cylindrical portion 16, which is threaded externally and screwed into the head of the tank 12. Formed on the opposite sides of the upper end of the cylindrical portion 16 are two nipples or lateral extensions 17 and 18, the former of which communicates by a contracted port. 19 with the cylindrical portion 16, while the nipple 18 communicates by a similar port 20 with a vertical duct 21 in the said cylindrical portion. Fitted in said duct is an oil-pipe 22, which extends down into the tank and to within a short distance of the bottom of the latter. Needle-valves 23 and 24 are respectively arranged in the nipples 17 and 18 and control the ports 19 and 20. Each of said valves is provided with a stem 25, that projects out through and beyond the end of the nipple and has fixed on its outer end a handwheel 26, as usual. The valve-stem intermediate its ends is threaded, as at 27, and screws into a corresponding female thread formed on the interior of the nipple. The stem 25 passes through a stuffing-box in the nipple, constructed as follows: Arranged in the enlarge ment formed in the end of the nipple is a packing 28, which is held to its seat by a flange 29, and the latter in turn is held in place by a hollow hexagonal nut 30, screwed over the end of the nipple. A nipple 31 is also formed on one side of the cylindrical portion 16, intermediate the nipples 17 and 1S,and communicates with said cylindrical portion by means of a port 32, which latter is controlled by a needle-valve 33, similar in construction to the needlevalves before de-' scribed. Communicating, respectively, with the nipples 17, 18, and 31 are hollow vertical extensions 34, 35, and 36. 35 is screwed the service-pipe 14, which leads to the lamps, and to the extension 34 is coupled one end of a flexible hose 37, whichleads from the pressure-tank. Interposed between two adjacent sections of the service-pipe is a filter comprising a hollow casin g 38,filled'with any suitable material for filtering the gas or other fluid employed for communicating pressure to the hydrocarbon to be fed to the lamps. A small relief-valve 39 is fitted in the upper end of the tank 12, and when the tank is being filled, as hereinafter described, said valve is opened to permit'the escape of air and hydrocarbon vapor. If preferred, a small pipe 40 may lead from the valve 39 to carry off the escaping vapor to a point of safety as the tank is being filled. The end of the hose 37 is detachably coupled to a pressure-regulating To the extension.

valve 41 of ordinary construction, and said valve is provided with an ordinary pressure indicating gage 42, which operates to give usual indication of the pressure passing through said valve, and hence enables the operator to set or regulate the valve 41, so as to maintain the desired pressure in the gasolene-tank. The valve 41 is coupled by a pipe 42 to a charging and discharge valve 43, fitted in the upper end of the pressure-tank 13.

The operation of the apparatus for feeding hydrocarbon to the lamps, constructed as above described, is as follows, it being proper to first explain that the pressure and hydrocarbon tanks are respectively arranged in the upper and lower compartments of the closet 10, as before described, and not in the manner as shown in Fig. 3, the latter arrangement simply being adopted in the drawings for convenience of illustration: To fill the gasolene-tank, the valves 23 and 24 are closed and the valves 33 and 39 are opened. The gasolene may then be poured into the extension 36 of the nipple 31 and passes through the latter port 32 and cylindrical portion 16 into the tank 12. After the tank has been filled to the desired height the valves 33 and 39 are closed. When it is desired to supply gasolene to the lamps, it is only necessary to open the valves 23, 24, and 43, and by noting the pressure-gage 42 andopening the valve 41 the desired amount of pressure can be admitted from the pressure-tank 13 to the gasolene-tank 12 at a point above the surface of the gasolene contained in the latter. .It will be evident that the pressure will new force the gasolene up through the pipe 22, duct 21, and extension 35 into and through the filter 38, and thence by the service-pipe 14 to the lamps, where it may be consumed as is necessary. The pressure maintained in the gasolene tank may be regulated by means of the pres sure-regulating valve 41 in the manner before described, while bymeans of the valves 23and 24 the feed of the'gasolene to the service-pipe can be regulated and controlled as desired. v

By the construction and arrangement of parts heretofore described not only can all the lamps of the system be supplied from one of the lamp structures forming a part thereof, but the supply to all said lamps can be regulated and controlled from such point, it only being necessary for an attendant to visit the individual lamps of the system to ignite or extinguish the same.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- In an apparatus for distributing hydrocarbonto street-lamps, the combination with a plurality of street-lamps the base of one of which constitutes a closet provided with two compartments arranged one above the other, of a hydrocarbon-tank and a fluid-pressure tank arranged in said compartments,the fluidpressure tank being detachably connected to Ice Ire

the hydrocarbon-tank ah'd removablefrem the In testimony whereof I have hereunto set closet, a service-pipe leading from the hydromy hand in presence of two subscribing witcarbon-tank to the several lamps, and means 'nesses. v

for conveying fluid-pressure from the pres- JOSEPH G. BRANCH. 5 sure-tank to the hydrocarbon-tank in regu- Witnesses:

lated quantities to force the hydrocarbon to WILLIAM P. SHERIDAN,

the several lamps, substantially as described. 1 M. BALLARD DUNN. 

